Lesson Forty-nine
superlative adverbs
Lesson 49
superlative adverbs
Superlative adverbs identify an action that is above or below others in quality or degree.
- Of all the employees at the company, Sheila works the hardest.
- The President spoke most eloquently about the sacrifice made by the nation’s soldiers.
- Among the members of the choir, Ali sings the loudest.
superlative adverbs in English
49a. superlative actions
Use “most” + an adverb
- Miriam speaks most confidently when she’s with her friends.
- Valerie drives more carefully than other drivers.
- Of all the software we have chosen to use, this program seems to work the most effectively.
- Bill’s performance at the Olympics didn’t match that of the other athletes because he trained the least intensely.
Note: It’s not easy to use superlative adverbs with “most” (or “least) because they can sound a little awkward and unnatural. Everyone has difficulty with this. Irregular adverbs in the superlative form are a little easier to use.
For irregular adverbs use “est”
- Of all the phones I’ve ever owned, this one charges the fastest.
- Compared to my other shoes, these have lasted the longest.
- We chose this train because it arrives the earliest at our destination.
49a. Examples
- His equipment operates most efficiently when it’s well maintained.
- verb: operates
- superlative adverb: most efficiently
- Compared to all of the other students, Alicia tries the hardest.
- verb: tries
- superlative adverb: the hardest
49b. irregular adverbs
While superlative adverbs are difficult to use with “most,” the irregular adverbs that use “est” endings are a little easier.
fastest, hardest, latest, highest, longest, deepest, earliest, best
- He takes pride in waking up the earliest.
- She sings the best among her classmates.
- Of all the people I know, Javier has travelled the farthest from here.
Perhaps the most common use for superlative adverbs is in the form of a question:
- Who can run the fastest?
- Who can jump the highest?
- Which one lasts the longest?
49b. Examples 
- He can go the longest without any sleep.
- Who works the hardest in this class?
Lesson Fifty is an introduction to modal verbs.